"Relocating to a new part of the country is a common occurrence for millennials, who have largely emerged in the professional world ready to move for the right job, regardless of where it takes them," U.S. News & World Report real estate editor Devon Thorsby tells CNBC Make It.

"As more millennials are starting families and thinking about their careers with a more long-term scope, their choice of where to settle down brings more factors into the mix than before," Thorsby says.

The study analyzed survey responses from 3,000 people as well as data collected from the U.S. Census, the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the FBI Uniform Crime Report and other U.S. News rankings.

"The job market certainly still plays a major role in the decision," Thorsby adds, "but so does the affordability of the area, the quality of education, commute time and growth of the area, signifying the metro area's long-term success, among other factors."

Here are the 10 best places to live in the United States in 2018.

1. Austin, Texas

"Greetings from Austin" street art mural.

Magalie L'AbbT | Getty Images

2. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Colorado Springs, Colorado.

MargaretW | Getty Images

3. Denver, Colorado

Young couple enjoying the sunset and each others' company at Sloan's Lake in Denver, Colorado.

Jon Paciaroni | Getty Images

4. Des Moines, Iowa

Skylift riders going into the sunset at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, IA.

8. Washington, D.C.

9. Minneapolis, Minnesota

A bike rider on a fatbike going up a frozen waterfall in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Per Breiehagen | Getty Images

10. Seattle, Washington

Seattle, the largest city in the Pacific Northwest, has spectacular views of the Cascade mountains to the east and the Olympic mountains to the west.

Bill Hinton | Getty Images

Colorado Springs' booming job market and high quality of life contributed to the city's climb from No. 11 to No. 2 this year, according to a press release from U.S. News.

Meanwhile, Huntsville offers employment opportunities in STEM fields and scored the highest value score out of all places on this year's list. Portland also soared from No. 32 to No. 6 largely due to more people moving to the area and a growing job market.